Windy hill chickens - first flock(s) of my own

[BDutch]

A few of them are great for the caption contest. !
(Look for caption contest submission).

 

[kattabelly]

A few of them are great for the caption contest. !
(Look for caption contest submission).

Yeah I've posted stuff there before. Not sure I can decide which of these to enter though.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

Yeah I've posted stuff there before. Not sure I can decide which of these to enter though.

I like the one with the cabbage showing in the open beak.

 

[kattabelly]

I'm on the boat again (been down south this time) and the wifi is too rubbish right now to post photos or even use the 'reply' button to quote messages without the server timing out but I'll do it later.

When I got the boat down last night, three separate members of the crew asked if I had any chickens with me this time

 

[kattabelly]

I didn't want to do introductions today because of the weather but the two rock pullets were just standing by the fence in the rain, soaking wet and making lonely goose noises at the other chickens. I made sure they had full crops, then let them in to the main group's run and shut the door so they couldn't take off in a panic. After that they spent most of the day standing in the rain, making sad noises and occasionally running away from the other chickens Really wasn't too much pecking and chasing; they're just very timid. They wouldn't use any of the unoccupied shelter spots even though all but one has multiple exit routes, and I gave up trying to help because herding or grabbing them was just stressing them out more. Kicked all the others out for about an hour before roosting time so they did at least get some time to eat and explore. They weren't allowed yet but they still tried to roost with the others closest in age, which I'm taking as a good sign after how nervous they were earlier. They're sleeping by themselves tonight but out of the weather, and went to roost dry and with full crops, so I'm not worried - just a bit frustrating.

Grumpy Chick was especially good with them. She asked to come in when they were using one of the shelters for a minute and then crept in and made what sounded like reassuring noises at them until they got freaked out and ran away. The Sussex pullets did their usual thing of ignoring little chickens unless they're actually in the way of food, and the Norfolk Grey still exists in kind of her own world. I think she's going to be a Nora, because I like alliteration apparently. And the others do mostly ig-Nora.

Four eggs both today and yesterday - one green, two Hylines, one I think is Yellow Legs but not completely sure.

 

[Perris]

And the others do mostly ig-Nora.

 

[kattabelly]

Same four eggs again today. Very cloudy but they went to roost about 25 minutes after sunset. Those two rock pullets spent most of the morning standing out in the rain again. Dried up later on, so they got the run to themselves for a few hours when I kicked the others out.

 

[kattabelly]

Mostly dry today but the ground is still sodden after the amount of rain yesterday. New girls are still keeping their distance from the others and me but looking more confident using the space of the run. If the weather's decent I'll try letting them out with the others for a short while on Thursday evening, when I don't have to worry about getting them back inside in time for my bus. Pretty overcast tonight and they went to roost 25 minutes after sundown again.

Eggs from Big Bertha the Murderbird, my Good Lady Chickenwife and one of the Sussexes. Current theory is they're both laying and eggs with the white calcium spots are from Right Sussex but that could change again tomorrow.

Couldn't buy feed yesterday as they were waiting on a delivery, so it'll be fishy egg porridge for breakfast the morn to keep them going until I'm back.

 

[kattabelly]

I'm so pleased - the new girls got up the nerve to eat with the others today. I still shut them away with a separate portion after, just to make sure they're getting enough, but that's a big improvement. Still spending quite a bit of time huddled in a corner together but they aren't moving away every single time someone gets close now.

Sky was a bit less cloudy tonight and they stayed out closer to a full half-hour after sunset, before going to roost.

Eggs from Bertha, both Hylines and one Sussex. It's annoying me, not knowing what's going on with them. Not because I'm desperate for them to start laying by 20 weeks and chuck out an egg almost every day after that but there were those few soft shells and both of them look they should be laying. Just want to be sure there isn't some kind of issue, or eggs being eaten from a secret nest.

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I'm so pleased - the new girls got up the nerve to eat with the others today. I still shut them away with a separate portion after, just to make sure they're getting enough, but that's a big improvement. Still spending quite a bit of time huddled in a corner together but they aren't moving away every single time someone gets close now.

Sky was a bit less cloudy tonight and they stayed out closer to a full half-hour after sunset, before going to roost.

Eggs from Bertha, both Hylines and one Sussex. It's annoying me, not knowing what's going on with them. Not because I'm desperate for them to start laying by 20 weeks and chuck out an egg almost every day after that but there were those few soft shells and both of them look they should be laying. Just want to be sure there isn't some kind of issue, or eggs being eaten from a secret nest.

View attachment 4237719

Double rainbow for luck!